The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 106

Section CVI. ( Sambhava Parva continued. )

Vaisampayana said, "Soon after when the princess of Koshala had her season, Satyavati purifying her daughter-in-law with a bath led her to her sleeping apartments. There seating her upon a luxurious bed, she addressed her, saying, 'O princess of Koshala, thy husband hath an elder brother who shall this day enter thy womb as thy child. Wait for him tonight without sinking into sleep.' Hearing these words of her mother-in-law, the amiable princess, as she lay on her bed, began to think of Bhisma and the other elders of the Kuru race. Then the Rishi of truthful speech, who had given his promise in respect of Amvika (the eldest of the princesses) in the first instance, entered her chamber while the lamp was burning. The princess seeing his dark visage, his matted locks of copper hue, his blazing eyes, his grim beard, closed her eyes in fear. The Rishi, however, from desire of accomplishing his mother's wishes, united himself with her. But the latter; struck with fear, opened not her eyes even once to look at him. And when Vyasa came out he was met by his mother. And she asked him, 'Shall the princess have an accomplished son?' Hearing her he replied, "The son the princess shall bring forth will be equal in might unto ten thousand Elephants. He will be an illustrious royal sage, possessed of great learning and intelligence and energy. The high-souled one shall have But from the fault of his mother in time a century of sons. he shall be blind.' At these words of her son, Satyavati said, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, how can one that is blind become a monarch worthy of the Kurus? How can one that is blind become the protector of his relatives and family, and the glory of his father's race? It behoveth thee to give another king unto the Kurus!' Saying 'So be it,' Vyasa went away. And the first princess of Koshala in due time brought forth a blind son.

"Soon after Satyavati, O thou suppressor of the foe, summoned Vyasa, after having procured the assent of her daughter-in-law. Vyasa came according to his promise, and approached, as before, the second wife of his brother. And Amvalika beholding the Rishi became pale with fear. And, O Bharata, beholding her so afflicted and pale with fear, Vyasa addressed her and said, 'Because thou hast been pale with fear at sight of my grim visage, therefore shall thy child be pale in complexion. And, O thou of handsome face, the name also of thy child shall be Pandu (the pale).' Saying this, the illustrious and best of Rishis came out of her chamber. And as he came out, he was met by his mother who asked him about the would-be child. The Rishi told her that the child would be of pale complexion and known by the name of Pandu. Satyavati again begged of the Rishi another child, and the Rishi told her in reply, 'So be it.' Amvalika then, when her time came, brought forth a son of pale complexion. Blazing with beauty, the child was endued with all auspicious marks. Indeed, it was this child who afterwards became the father of those mighty bowmen—the Pandavas.

"Sometime after, when the eldest of Vichittra-virya's wives again had her season, she was solicited by Satyavati to approach Vyasa once more. Possessed of beauty like unto a daughter of the celestials, the princess refused to do her mother-in-law's bidding, remembering the grim visage and strong odor of the Rishi. She, however, sent unto him, a maid of hers, endued with the beauty of an Apsara and decked in her own ornaments. And when Vyasa arrived, the maid rose up and saluted him. And she waited upon him respectfully and took her seat near him when asked. And, O king, the great Rishi of rigid vows was well pleased with her. And when he rose up to go away, he addressed her and said, 'Amiable one, thou shalt no longer be a slave. Thy child also shall be greatly fortunate and virtuous, and the foremost of all intelligent men on earth.' And, O king, the son thus begotten upon her by Krishna-Dwaipayana was afterwards known by the name of Vidura. He was thus the brother of Dhrita-rashtra and of the illustrious Pandu. And Vidura was free from desire and passion and conversant with the rules of government, and was the god of justice born on earth under the curse of the illustrious Rishi Mandavya. And Krishna-Dwaipayana, when he met his mother as before, informed her how he was deceived by the eldest of the princesses and how he had begotten a son upon a Sudra woman. And having spoken thus unto his mother, the Rishi disappeared in her sight.

"Thus were born, in the field (wives) of Vichittra-virya, even from Dwaipayana, those sons of the splendour of celestial children and expanders of the Kuru race."

Thus ends the hundred and sixth Section in the Sambhava of the Adi parva.